Overview

We are the Government’s statutory advisor for the natural environment, playing a vital role in delivering the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan. This describes an ambitious vision, bringing new opportunities to protect and enhance, and to achieve real outcomes for the environment.
At Natural England, we love what we do. We’re here to make sure people and nature can thrive. A healthy natural environment is fundamental to our wellbeing, prosperity and happiness – that’s why we collaborate with scientists, lawyers, projects managers and experts to implement environmental policy and shape decisions.

We work with a wide range of partners, stakeholders and customers on a huge range of projects, from influencing construction, advising farmers and landowners how they can manage their land in a sustainable way for the benefit of the environment, gathering and analysing environmental data, and carrying out vital statutory duties. Across the country, we’re helping nature to support people and our planet.

We are focusing our efforts on six key programmes:

Greener Farming and Fisheries – supporting those who manage land and sea to operate in harmony with the environment

Sustainable Development – creating great places for people to live and work

Connecting People with Nature – promoting health and wellbeing through the great outdoors

Resilient Landscapes and Seas – protecting and restoring wildlife and natural beauty for future generations

Specialist Science and Evidence – an evidence-led organisation that is driven by science

Managing the Organisation – gathering business data to enable decision making

Natural England staff are inclusive, motivated and ambitious to achieve results for our environment, for everyone. We welcome and encourage applications from all communities and we operate a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements for the role.

Wherever possible Natural England accommodates requests for both full-time and part-time hours and other flexible working patterns to help employees achieve a good work/life balance and maintain their health and wellbeing.

From induction to ongoing learning and development, everyone in Natural England is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. Where appropriate there will be offers of training under our apprenticeship schemes.

See more about the work of Natural England at:

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england

List of Natural England offices:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/natural-england-office-locations

How to apply

We’ll assess you against the competencies below during the selection process. When completing the application form you should present relevant examples using the STAR format. STAR stands for:
• Situation
• Task
• Action
• Result

Examples should be given in no more than 250 words for each competency. Please ensure you read the candidate information pack before you begin your application.

The successful candidate will join the national team, Farm and Conservation Service (FCS) in the Greener Farming and Fisheries Operational Delivery directorate. They will work across the Greener Farming and Fisheries and Resilient Landscapes and Seas programmes.

FCS is a national team that supports Area Teams to deliver Defra’s 25 year plan and Natural England’s roadmap by co-ordinating and delivering technical advice to the Rural Payments Agency in delivery of Countryside and Environmental Stewardship Schemes.

The successful candidate will focus on the following work areas:

1. Advice:
a. Provide technical and specialist historic environment (HE) advice, guidance and support at an expert level on a broad range of operational priorities, including:i. Nature Recovery Network projects, comprising landscape-scale habitat restoration/creation projects delivered through partnership using a variety of land management levers
ii. Complex agri-environment scheme casework, scheme guidance, best practice, etc. Includes input into Land Management Database casework queries (Q+A database) and liaison with Rural Payments Agency as required
iii. EIA (Agriculture) consultations, liaising closely with HE Senior Specialists in Specialist Service and Programmes (SSP) as required.
b. Input into the development of the HE aspects of new and developing agri-environment and grant schemes, including evidence reviews and input as necessary into the development and implementation of scheme architecture, actions, objectives, monitoring, evaluation, guidance, etc.
c. Work across teams within NE to provide a conduit through which expert HE advice can be routed across the organisation. Contribute to establishing clear and effective lines of communication between Operations, Strategy and Government Advice (SGA) and SSP
d. Engage with our science and evidence programme, developing and leading HE evidence projects and contributing HE expert advice to our wider evidence programme leads
e. Support Area Teams by providing technical HE expert advice.
f. Contribute to the development of the HE aspects of key organisational priorities such as Nature Recovery Network, Net Gain, Natural Capital Accounts, etc.
g. Be a committed and enthusiastic member of the HE Expert Network, providing representation of National Operations perspective and acting as liaison/conduit between National Operations/FCS and the national network
2. Strategy:
a. Make a significant contribution to the delivery of NE’s HE Strategy (2019)
b. Support input into the development of delivery mechanisms via Spending Review responses, Programme Boards, NE Roadmap, NE Business Planning, etc.
3. Delivering Change:
a. Promote the importance of integrated management of our natural and cultural environment in order to deliver NE’s HE Strategy (2019) by engaging with colleagues and key partners
b. Engage with the Specialist Services Programme team to identify evidence gaps, working with SSP to ensure the correct information is communicated in order to aid their development of Monitoring & Evaluation project bids
c. Support the identification and recruitment of HE practitioners, and potentially functionally line manage and mentor those colleagues
d. Input into the development and delivery of HE training, to bolster Area Team provision of their own practitioner level advice by upskilling advisers as needed
e. Promote best practice and show how HE should be integrated across the breadth of NE’s delivery remit
f. Working with SGA colleagues, develop Discretionary Advice Service opportunities.
4. Relationships:
a. Work across teams within NE, and with key external partners and stakeholders, to develop effective and sustainable reporting mechanisms for our HE work
b. Report to key partner account managers, in order to help them manage important partner relationships:
i. Historic England
ii. Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers.
These are leading roles in which you’ll work with partners to progress sustainable development and nature recovery in England. You’ll develop ambitious partnership plans for places with nature at their heart. It’s a fantastic opportunity to use your previous experience to bring people and nature together.

Competencies

Competence 1
Professional competency
Technical skills & knowledge

Description

(You do not need to use STAR format when answering this question)

• Degree in Archaeology, Historic Environment Management, Historic Parklands, or other relevant subject, or evidence of equivalent relevant experience (essential)
• At least 5 years’ experience of working at a level equivalent to the MCIfA corporate grade (essential)
• Experience of Archaeology, Historic Environment Management or Historic Parklands where not covered by degree (desirable)
• Experience of working with Construction Design and Management Regulations – client, designer and contractor roles (desirable)
• Experience of integrated environmental management, e.g. balancing the requirements of multiple environmental disciplines (desirable)
• A driving licence is highly desirable as many roles will require travel for site visits or partnership meetings that may not be accessible by public transport (desirable).

Competence 2
Professional competency
Personal effectiveness

Description

• Make and explain objective decisions which combine your professional judgement and evidence (expert)
• Share expertise and knowledge with people and networks so that you can develop together (practitioner)
• Use clear and appropriate language, communication styles and techniques that engage your audience (practitioner)

Competence 3
Professional competency
Work delivery

Description

• Manage and deliver your work to meet agreed targets and deadlines (expert)
• Understand and apply relevant policy, legislation, governance frameworks and strategies to your work (practitioner)

Competence 4
Professional competency
Putting people at the heart of the environment

Description

• Understand and explain the outcomes that we seek in your local patch and how these fit in with local and national issues (practitioner)
• Nurture trusting partnerships and collaborate to achieve pragmatic outcomes that help deliver Natural England’s vision, mission and aims (practitioner)
• Understand the importance of people accessing and engaging with the natural environment, and how to balance their needs with nature conservation objectives (practitioner)

Competence 5
Professional competency
Creating resilient landscapes and seas

Description

• Understand how natural processes, land/sea management and use impact the conservation and management of geodiversity, the marine and historic environments (practitioner)
• Understand and use appropriate agri-environment schemes and other interventions to contribute to a healthy natural environment that benefits people and the economy (practitioner)
• Identify appropriate solutions for avoidance, mitigation, compensation of environmental impacts and meeting shared outcomes; and identify opportunities for enhancing the natural environment (practitioner)

Responsibilities
Please refer to Job Description